Dangers of Denial
by AmandaFaye
Summary: Love is the key to keeping a land somewhere between the mists and stars out of hell. Crossover with Labyrinth, Angel, and Highlander. BuffyMethos


DANGERS OF DENIAL

Nothing belongs to me. Everything is post the finale of Angel, however, Anya did not stay dead. Spike rejoined the Scoobies.

As the fifth tremor in one day rattled through, Spike caught the lanky teen ager before she crashed to the floor. "I'd suggest switching to sneakers until these quakes settle down. High heels - well, just think if you fall, your shoes go flying and one stabs me. I'll be William to dust bunny, a much less impressive title than the bloody. Even if you don't, your sister will stake me if you sprain something."

Not wanting to obey, but seeing the sense, Dawn compromised by dropping to sit Indian style on a bean bag. Just then, Giles walked in, rather shakily. "Good, you're here. Help me to put all the books on the floor. A loaded bookcase packs quite a punch if it falls on you."

Willow, following behind, silently agreed. It had happened to her.

Buffy shortly joined them. "Is it my imagination or are these quakes getting closer together?" In response, another tremble passed through the room. "That was NOT a cue!"

Xander, unfortunate enough to be standing under the shelves during the rumble and be bashed by a falling book, asked, "Since when is England known for Earthquakes? Did they follow Dead Boy II?"

"You know, I"m starting to feel peckish," Spike mused. "Mind if I borrow a vein, Alex?"

Before the situation could continue, Buffy stomped her foot, demanding attention. "Enough. Giles, have you been able to determine if these things are natural or something we should be trying to avert? We haven't had a good Armegeddon in what- two weeks?"

"Will I have the chance to do more violence?" Illyria asked, cocking her head in that owlish way of hers.

Giles took off his glasses, cleaned them, and cleared his throat before replying. Something about her was just too strange. "We - ah- have yet to decide that. But when I know for sure, you'll get the first pick of dismantlees. This could be just a tectonic shift of some kind."

Illyria frowned. Although she wore her shell's face, no one would mistake her for human. "No, this is not ordinary. There is a cosmic disturbance. "

Anya, safely seated on the floor, grimaced. "I suppose this is my cue to use some of my old contacts?"

Illyria cut her off, "No. Find the green one. "

"Lorne?" Spike asked. "He told us not to try and find him."

"No, he told Angel not to," she replied coldly. "Besides, no one commands me."

"Right then. Don't suppose you know where Mr Green Sleeves is?" He didn't expect an answer.

She pulled a small address book from her skirt pocket. "He gave me his cell number." She did not add that Lorne had told her that he could still see Fred in her eyes, that he knew the little Texan was not as far gone as it was thought. She hated it that he was right, but was also comforted by it.

An hour later, the host was in Giles' living room. His hug had almost squashed both Spike and Illyria, but they had put up with it. The news that Wes and Gunn were both dead and Angel off brooding did not seem to startle him at all. "Yeah, I noticed these little tremblers. Had a hangover ever since they started, and I haven't touched any booze since the senior partners tried to take us out."

"Know what they are?" Buffy asked, crossing her arms.

He shrugged. "Yeah. Easy one. Another piece of the original creation is starting to crack."

"Explain," Illyria commanded.

"You ought to know that one, lady bug," he noted tiredly. "Back when time started, everything was perfect, until the fall, right. After that, paradise was lost..."

"I read the cliff notes," Xander interjected.

Anya hit him.

"And the original world was shattered, but there were avenues between the realms until the time of Noah. The intermingling of humanity and non humanity was causing problems, so the flood was sent to cleanse the world. All other realms were put on restricted access to this world. However, since your world, since humanity was the link to salvation for all world, each world was given a key," Dawn flinched at that. " to tie it to this one. The worlds that failed to do so became and become hell dimensions. If any being leaves that realm, they still have a chance to not be condemned, by the way. Yah me. Whenever one of those mystic worlds starts to edge towards hellishness, there's mystic quakes like this and the darkness increases here. Most other dimensions have fallen, btw. That's way I left Pylea. Eternal suffering just doesn't have much music in it. Unless it's rap."

"So, another world is about to become hell?" Giles asked slowly.

"Not just any world. If it were a minor one, no big deal, " Lorne shrugged. "This is a big one, the world closest to this one. The land of the Tuatha, the world that holds all the dreams of mankind. If it falls, I don't want to be on this world, but there isn't any other one to go to. If it falls, we'll just have to hope those Left Behind people's predictions start coming true yesterday so we can all get out of here."

Anya had gone pale. "Someone solved the Labyrinth? That prophecy finally came true? And she walked away?"

Illyria had a knowing look, "That is beyond foolish."

"Hello, some of us are lost," Dawn said, waving her hand.

"The dream land is guarded by a labyrinth, " Anya explained. "The king of it is the one half human half angel that is redeemable. He takes in all the lost things in this world. When someone is unwanted, they find their way there, usually by being sent by those who don't want them. Being around all that lostness made Jareth, the king, bitter. Then came a prophecy that one day, a girl of our world would be loved by him and love him, and through that love solve the labyrinth. Two halves of one heart would join and they would rule the kingdom of dreams until Shiloh comes. If she leaves him before they become one in all ways, the land of dreams will become the world of nightmares.. and oh star- that demon that makes people sing will take control of the Labyrinth, after killing Jareth. "

"Are we about to have to sing again?" Spike asked. "Hang that. I'm gone if we're going all Rodgers and Hammerstein again."

"Me too, " Anya agreed, "especially if I have to hear beady eyes sing."

"I thought they made up," Giles whispered to Willow. She shrugged. "I think it's some kind of crazy er- love ritual." She wasn't sure how well Dawn could hear her, so watched her words.

"So, some girl solved the Lab thing and she left, but wasn't supposed to. Is there a window for her to come back?" Buffy asked.

Lorne took over, "Seven years. But the tremors would begin before the end of the time, warning system. Capish?"

"All we do is find this girl then, and drag her back. Very Shakespeare with the arranged marriages," Buffy nodded, pleased with herself.

"We do that how?" Xander had to ask.

Silence.

"Can someone just call Jerry and ask?" Buffy wondered, deflated.  
  
"The only way to summon him is to wish someone to the Goblin city, but then we'd have to solve the Labyrinth and that'd mix up the prophecy and might bring it all crashing down, " Anya protested."Nix that. I've had to deal with enough mucked up prophecies, " Spike shook his head. "Two champions, two Shanshu, nope, no more of that. And still, no more jewelry. "

Illyria was thoughtful. "Does he take the wished away one immediately? Could we lure him here and then explain?" For a moment, she looked more like Winifred Burkle than ever.

"Not many other options, " Lorne grimaced. "So, who gets wished?"

"Dawn, " Anya stated. "She's the only one young enough, but since she's not exactly human, probably wouldn't be taken once he gets a look at her."

Dawn bit her lip, hiding the pain she felt at being reminded she wasn't who she mostly felt she was.

Buffy opened her mouth to object. She hadn't died for her sister just to have her taken away again.

"She'll be safe, Buffy. Jareth doesn't take anyone over five, but Dawn hasn't been here five years, so she can fool him long enough to get here, then we have a loophole to get her out of it, " Anya logically explained. "Chill." Then she added, "Just wish for the Goblin king, not the goblins. Unless you want to do extreme home makeover in a negative way."

Still uncomfortable with all this, even if Dawn couldn't technically be kidnapped, Buffy had never forgotten her sister was some kind of mystical key, - wouldn't this king want that kind of power? - the Slayer narrowed her eyes. "Lorne, Spike told me about your singing thingee..." she ignored his wince. "Could Dawn sing and maybe you could see if she's in danger from this king. "

"She's not the brains for nothing, I see, " the host smiled. "Sure. And I know the perfect song. Pen please, and paper."

"Can't I pick my song?" Dawn whined.

"Trust me, muffin, this is the best one for you."

A few minutes later, he handed her a sheet of paper with words and music.

"I don't do Barry Manilow," the teenager said firmly after reading it.

Lorne looked pained. "Neither do I after hearing Angel butcher it for years, much less that duet he and Connor did. Never again. No, this is not Manilow. Just sing it. A line or two. You aren't trying for a Grammy."

Sighing in a put upon way, Dawn scanned the sheet and began, acapella. "There's such a sad love deep in your eyes a kind of pale jewel open and closed in your eyes I'll place the moon in your eyes..."

"Stop it right now. That's Sarah's song!" Where there had been nothing, suddenly a very pissed off rock star wannabe stood glaring.

"Jareth, how nice to see you," Anya smiled, adding under her breath, "not."

Before anyone else could speak, thunder and lightening began to play outside the window, causing Buffy to turn white as Spike's hair. "Nooo," she whispered.

"I'm sure he's fine, Buffy, " Giles attempted.

"How can you be sure of anything with all that's going on?" She looked back outside. "How far off?"

Giles studied the display as it faded abruptly as it began. "Not more than a block. Most unusual to be so open air."

Spike glowered.

Jareth spoke again, interupting the dour exchange. "What in the Bog is going on?"

"Just a little cosmic match making, " Lorne quipped as he tried to sort out why Buffy was so upset.

Jareth scowled. "Who is this insolent child singing my song?"

"Not a child, " Dawn said petulantly. "It was his idea, anyway."

Xander muttered something about copyright being a true pain and napster.

Illryia had to put her three cents in, "We have the name now. Let's get on with things. I do not approve of these tremors."

"There's only five million females with that name, " Anya shot back.

Before anyone could speak again, the door burst open.

"Bloody hell!" a frazzled looking man of indeterminate and infinite age said instead of Hello.

Buffy rushed across the room, throwing her arms around him. "Methos! I thought that was you with the fireworks show."

He smiled for a second. "No, not this time. I was challenged three times today though. Only took one head. Mac would've never forgiven me if I'd killed Grace or Nick. No idea who the last bloke was. If he was one of Mac's sparrows, too bad. Got a beer anywhere around here. Oh, and Giles, old Luddite, I need that blasted corded phone of yours. I'll pay you back for the long distance."

"Yeah, right," Giles muttered. "Same time as your bar tab?"

"Day before," he grinned, disentangling to grab the phone. " Dawson, pick up if you want that bar tab ever paid."

Obviously, he did, since the conversation continued. "Has the gathering started? There's really fifty thousand of us on record. Fancy that. Well, some of us are going insane. I've had three duels today. Just shot two of them, so they're loose, well tied up on Holy ground, but alive by now. I may convert to pantheism, everywhere Holy ground. One's dead. No idea who it was. I'm sure someone was on him, I saw someone trying not to be seen. No, Cass wasn't one of them. Just handle it, Joseph. Might want to shoot Macleod. He's bound to get in trouble. Lock him up in Darius' church. Put Mandy in with him. They'll stay busy. Okay, church , they might not. But they'll be safe. Later, Dawson."

He hung up and looked around. "Who's the freak?" He was looking at the rather irate Goblin King.

"Are you three related?" Xander asked, pointing between Anya, Illryia and Methos. "Tact does not run in your family."

If looks could kill, Alexander Harris would be three times dead.

Jareth had had enough by this time. The human's were throwing off so much angst that he could cut it with a sword. Normally, that worked in his favor, the wish that drew him came along with revealing emotions that clued him on what to say. However, with so many emanations, he was at a loss. His mismatched eyes slid around the room, falling finally on Methos. "You- explain all of this." That one seemed to be the least affected by all of the emotional overload.

Methos stared him down for a moment, then decided he had nothing better to do. "Frankly, I'm not sure what's going on, but I can make introductions as it were." He began pointing to various people. "The tweedy sort in the corner is Giles, despite having no tatoos, he is a Watcher."

"Of what?"

Glancing at the girl was still stood close to him, Methos said, "Her. Buffy, she is the chosen, the slayer of the undead and demons. So watch your manners. " He looked over to Spike. "She does make exceptions. Your long lost son over there is a vampire she allied with, and then some. Used to be here date, until I came along. He wanted to kill me for a while, but I convinced him that he had me mixed up with a different immortal. I'm still not sure why he's living here."

Illyria spoke up, "Because after we killed the wolf, the ram, and the hart, we destroyed our home as well. There was no place to go besides here that we would be understood."

"Right. That's Illyria. Don't make her mad. She does not play well with others. Runs with scissors too. Never met the green fellow. ...?"

"Lorne. Host and karoke wizard."

Anya piped up, "He knows me."

Jareth glanced at her, "I do not."

"Sure, you let me borrow the bog of eternal stench a couple of times. Makes for great vengeance."

Jareth shrugged. He did not remember her, but he did try to ignore the bog.

"She's Anya. Likes revenge and money. Bloke next to her is Xander. Next to him is Willow. The little girl hiding behind Xander is Dawn."

"And you are?" Jareth asked.

Methos paused, letting a razor smile play on his lips. "I am Death." Unfortunately, his words did not have the desired effect; he considered trying Kronos' little "I am the end of time" line, but it was just too pretentious. "But most people call me Adam these days. "  
  
"She called you Methos," Jareth noted.

"I'm special, " Buffy huffed.

"None of tha tells me why -- Dawn was singing a song I created for one person, who is not here, " Jareth bit out. "I have the impression it was to lure me here. Why?"

"Good question. luv. Why did you invite him here? If you want a rock star, I could've called up Roger Daltry," Methos grumbled. "Or Queen."

"He's not a rock star, I think," Buffy said. "Have you felt the quakes?"

"Noticed them. Been too busy trying to not get killed to be concerned. I was at Pompei, so this doesn't impress me much."

"Where was this guy when we were taking history finals?" Xander complained.

"Paris. Could we move on to tying up why we have an influx of new guests?"

"Yes, rather. Time is not on our side, " Giles added nervously. "May I take over?" Receiving a nod, he plowed ahead, explaining about the prophecy etcetera. "So, now, could you tell us who the girl is who ah - de- fulfilled the prophecy but did not know how to finish it?"

Jareth's face grew stormy. Spike, recognizing that kind of glare from Blue's worst days, moved to protect Dawn, just in case.

Anya was less wise. "Why'd you let her go? I mean, you had to know about the prophecy."

In a moment, she was in a Darth Vader like grip, choking. "I did what I had to. She was a child, little older than that one hiding behind the vampire. She had a duty to her brother, and she did not love me. That can not be forced. When she denied my power, I had to give her freedom." With a snarl, he dropped her to fall, gasping on Xander's lap.

Willow, reluctant to speak, but having no other option, piped up, "Uh- yeah, she did. The way the prophecy is written, she could only pass all the tests if she loved you and versa vice. Otherwise, none of this would be happening."

"She left me." The worlds of hurt and anger in that bald sentence should have shut them all up.

Methos was not just anyone though. "You said she had a duty to her brother? Not sure what you mean by that, but maybe she felt she had to take care of that. Brothers can be a heavy shackled. Believe me, I know. What exactly happed?"

"I prefer not to say."

Lorne inserted, "Hey, guys. If you'd just sing a line or two of something, I can figure it out from there. Anything. Happy Birthday even. Just no Manilow or Macarthur park."

Jareth mulled this. He could just walk away, but if Giles was right, it was his geas to stay.

He nodded, considering. No, he could not sing the dream song. It should only be sung to Sarah. How the green one had gotten it was a mystery, one he wanted to solve now. "How did you know my song?"

"If it's music, I know it," Lorne boasted.

"Delete it from your repetoire." The order was implacable.

Then, Jareth sighed. "Her eyes could be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel... I move the stars for no one because the truth hurts like Hell...." His words were disjointed, rambling, painfilled things.

But they were enough. He moved to the window while Lorne told Sarah's story.

Xander privately thought that he couldn't blame Sarah for running away. If that was meant to be courtship, it ranked right up there with Angelus' version. Still regretted not staking that jerk.

"Buffy will barely let me date, and you wanted to marry her at fifteen?" Dawn burst out. "No way in hell."

"Perhaps I was precipitous. But, there was a time when you people married at that age. Am I supposed to keep aprrised of your variable mating rituals?" Jareth asked too calmly.

"Mistakes were made on both sides, let's agree, " Buffy said, trying to take control, just as a rumble moved through the room. "But now the results are shaking the walls and making Immortals freak out. So, we need to find Sarah and - what - do they get married or just have to --" she looked at Dawn -- " have - the s word."

"Technically, they are married, " Giles said from behind a bookcase. He wasn't sure how the news would be taken. "The love that allowed her to pass the tests united them in spiritual legality."

"Does that make it better or worse?" Methos had to ask.

No one answered.

"So, how do we find her?" Willow asked, chaning focus. "I mean, Sarah Williams? There have to be dozens of them."

"Don't suppose she could be one of you guys?" Lorne asked Methos.

"Possible, but unless I know what she looks like - even the database I'm not supposed to have won't help."

"Could you look in a crystal?" was her next question to Jareth.

"Don't you think I have? Look." One appeared in his hand, but the surface was distorted by a thousand colors. "I can't understand all that gibberish. Trying to lock on it to get to her would be foolish."

Buffy looked at it. "If you can picture emotions or feelings, that's what I felt like when mom locked me in the loony bin. When they drugged me. " Her words sounded far away.

"If she told anyone what happend, they might have institutionalized her," Methos shuddered, hoping she wouldn't be a raving yeller like Warren Cochrane had been.

"I'll kill them, " Jareth said with a not nice smile.

"You have to find her first, " Anya sensibly said.

"I can't using that."

Illryia reached out and took the globe. In her hands, the ball began to glow, an image forming. "Is this her?"

A small, dark haired woman lay tied to a bed in the center of the crystal. Her eyes were closed, an IV led to her veins.

"Sarah," Jareth murmured. "What have they done?"

"Can you get a lock on her location now?" Giles asked.  
  
Jareth concentrated. "No."

Anya suddenly grinned. "Jareth, did you ever get mad at Sarah?"

Almost fondly, he nodded. "She infuriated me at first."

"Wish for vengeance on her."  
  
"I got over that, you silly creature."

She rolled her eyes. "Technicality. Wish to have her in your possession for all time so you can do with her what you will. It doesn't have to be revenge, actually, just the words. I can get you to her if you do that, and then you can take her back to whereever you live. Though it might be best to detox her first."

"Shouldn't you look at her chart first? She might be sick, not institutionalized," Methos warned.

"No, that's a loony bin room," Buffy said. "Trust me."

"Once I have her, the drugs can be expelled easily," Jareth said. "Or healing, what ever she needs. Does that one speak the truth?"

Illryia nodded. "I sense no lie in her. Just greed."

Fury lit Anya's eyes, but she wasn't stupid. She kept silent.

"Very well. I wish I had Sarah with me, healed and whole and beautiful for all my life to do with as I will," Jareth wished.

"Yes!" Anya cheered. Her arm shot up in victory. "I haven't had a job in ages. Done. Done. Done."

There was a bamf, and Sarah was suddenly falling through the roof. Jareth made a gesture, and a crystal surrounded her, carrying her downward to the fainting couch by the window. She looked disoriented. "Whaaat?" Blinking, she saw Jareth. "You?" I thought you were a figment? Have I relapsed?"

Jareth kissed her softly. "I have come to give you those dreams, love. Even if they are only that, aren't they preferable?"

She looked around in confusion.  
  
"I'll explain. Later. We have a prophecy to complete."

"Just- is this real?" Her eyes were desperate and lost.

Giles spoke up, "Entirely too much so."

Anya looked like she was going to say something, so Xander clamped a hand on her mouth, hissing not to scare anyone.

"And I can really go with you? I don't have to see the doctor again? He said such mean things."

"I can get revenge for you?" Anya called around Xander's fingers.

Jareth tossed another crystal, this one crashing into the girl's face. She fell silent.

"Once we're gone, she'll be able to talk again. Or I can make it permanent."

"Please," Spike said.

Xander simultaneously said, "No, but could you make her think before speaking?"

"Silence or nothing, " Jareth shook his head. "And I refuse to take her with us."

"Let her speak," Giles overrode anyone else who might pipe up.

Another quake shook them. "Not to be rude, but would you get lost?" Methos asked wearily.

"Not lost, but we will go," Jareth agreed, lifting Sarah in his arms. "I believe we have a threshhold to cross."

Then, they were gone.

Methos looked around at the scattered books. "Redecorating?"

Epilog

As they reshelved a few hundred books, Buffy paused, considering her romantic ups and downs. "Giles."

He looked up. "Yes?"

"Er- if those two divorce or something, will this all start over again?"

Methos, draped across a wing chair, beer in hand, much to Giles' distress, while reading one of the most ancient books, replied, "Nope. No danger. The Fae, which Jareth is by birth and Sarah by bonding, marry for eternity. Two hearts beating as one, all that eighties song stuff. All we need now is Celine Dion."

"You know this how?" Spike jeered.  
  
Methos' free hand tapped on the book. "Written here."

"I've never been able to translate that volume, " Giles frowned.

"Of course not. It's written in my first language, doesn't even have a name. And much of it doesn't work with any other language currently in use, " Methos scofffed. "Trust me. We just witnessed perhaps the only guaranteed happily ever after of the millenium. "

Buffy quirked a brow.  
  
"I said, Perhaps."

By the time goofy smiles had formed on the couple's faces, Spike was ready to bite someone.

Before that could happen, Willow entered carrying a plate. During her soul searching quest post Sunnydale, the witch had fallen into some old habits....

Smiling brightly, she held up the platter. "Anyone want a cookie?"

As Methos mooched the first one, a cry of despair echoed among the books.


End file.
